When it comes to eating around City Hall, it has to be Buminok. They’ve started opening branches lately, though..

Banchan

Yang gomtang

Big portions, and the unseasoned broth is good too. I really should try the yang muchim as well, but it’s a bit much for one person.

Yukgaejang at Buminok

I’d heard the yukgaejang was good so I ordered it, and it really is. Perfect as a meal on its own.

Imun Seolleongtang

A lot of famous seolleongtang places are clustered around City Hall. Historical reasons, I suppose. Seolleongtang must have been the hip food of its day.

Banchan

Seolleongtang

It tasted fine, but the style where the rice comes already in the soup isn’t my thing, so I doubt I’ll be back.

Squid stir-fry at Sogong-dong Ttukbaegi

A restaurant with an unheard-of price of 5,000 won a head. The food and the quality of the ingredients are both good, and I have no idea how that’s possible. Do you own the building or something?

Sundubu at Sogong-dong Ttukbaegi

It’s tasty too, so the line is always long. The cramped seating is a problem, though.

Dongwonjip

Anyone who knows, knows: this place is famous for its gamjaguk and sundae. The gamjaguk photo has vanished somewhere, but the portion is enormous for the price, while the quality of the meat is just so-so. The sundae is also just okay.. The atmosphere and the food match each other, which I suspect is why it’s so popular with the older guys. It’s absolutely perfect for drinking soju.

Seolleongtang at Hanseongok in Jongno

This was probably the last famous seolleongtang place in Jongno I hadn’t been to, and it’s pretty good. Having done the rounds, my conclusion is that Jungnimjang still offers the best value around here (ranking them by taste is impossible), but things got complicated after it appeared on Baek Jong-won’s “3 Great Kings”. I hear the line has gotten enormous, and I worry it might go downhill.. Ugh, annoying..

Sanbul Deungsim

I’d heard the lunchtime doenjang jjigae was famous, so I went.

Banchan

I never expected this much to come out. The braised saury is even really good.

Beef doenjang jjigae

There really was quite a lot of beef in it. The doenjang itself was tasty too. No wonder it’s popular. The seating is cramped, so eating isn’t exactly easy, though.

Pungnyeonok

I thought I’d been everywhere, but there were still a few seolleongtang places I hadn’t tried.

Seolleongtang at Pungnyeonok

This place does it really well too. I’d have regretted not going.

Right across the way is Gwanghwamunjip, famous for kimchi jjigae

I didn’t have the nerve to go in alone, so I gave up. People who’ve actually been say it isn’t all that great anyway.

Wood and Brick bakery

There’s a really wide variety of good restaurants around Jongno and City Hall. It might be the ideal place to work. You do need colleagues to go around with, of course. (Join my crew!)

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